Is there an age limit for unemployment benefits at NYS Department of Labor?
I'm 67 and just got laid off from my job after 15 years. My manager said something about age limits for unemployment which made me worried. I know I can collect Social Security but I want to keep working and need the unemployment bridge until I find something new. Does NYS Department of Labor have any age restrictions on filing for UI benefits? I've been paying into the system my whole career so this seems unfair if true.
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Faith Kingston
There's no age limit for unemployment benefits in New York. As long as you're able and available to work and meet the other eligibility requirements, your age doesn't matter. The key is you have to be actively seeking work and available to accept suitable employment. Since you want to keep working, you should be fine to file your claim.
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Lincoln Ramiro
•That's such a relief! I was really worried I'd be stuck without any income while job hunting.
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Emma Johnson
yeah no age limit but they might ask more questions about your job search if you're older. i had to prove i was really looking and not just collecting checks until retirement
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Liam Brown
Your manager was wrong - there's definitely no age limit. However, you'll need to show that you're genuinely available for work. If you're collecting Social Security, make sure to report that income on your weekly claims. The NYS Department of Labor will reduce your UI benefits by any Social Security you receive, but you can still collect both.
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Lincoln Ramiro
•I haven't started collecting Social Security yet, was hoping to wait until 70. Good to know about reporting it though if I change my mind.
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Olivia Garcia
Wait I thought once you hit retirement age you couldn't get unemployment?? This is confusing because my dad was told he couldn't file when he got laid off at 65. Maybe the rules changed?
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Faith Kingston
•The rules haven't changed - there's never been an age limit in NY. Your dad might have been given incorrect information or maybe he wasn't able to meet the 'available for work' requirement for some other reason.
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Noah Lee
I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about this exact situation last year. Kept getting busy signals and when I finally got through, they hung up on me twice! Super frustrating when you need answers. I ended up using claimyr.com to get connected to an actual agent - they have this system that calls for you and gets you through. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Way less stressful than calling yourself.
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Lincoln Ramiro
•Thanks for the tip! I hate being on hold forever, especially when I'm already stressed about the whole situation.
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Ava Hernandez
Good luck with your job search! The market is tough for older workers but don't give up. Make sure you document all your job search activities for your weekly claims.
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Samantha Hall
I'm sorry to hear about your layoff after 15 years - that must be really stressful. Your manager was definitely wrong about age limits. I went through something similar when I was laid off at 62. The NYS Department of Labor doesn't discriminate based on age for unemployment benefits. The main thing they care about is that you're actively looking for work and available to accept a job if offered. Since you mentioned wanting to keep working, you should have no problem meeting those requirements. Just make sure to keep good records of your job search activities for your weekly certifications. Best of luck with finding your next position!
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